Faith & Doubt
Hebrews 11:1-6
Preacher: David Williams ,
Hebrews 11:1-6. Theme: Faith & Doubt. Sermon by Pastor David Williams. Strathalbyn Church of Christ. 15 May 2022.
We all doubt. We doubt because we can’t know everything, and what we know, or think we know, is tainted by sin. So we doubt who we can trust, and what we can believe in and rely on. There are many types and causes of doubt. Doubt may be intense and crippling, or it may be sitting quietly in the background. Doubt can stop people coming to faith and send believers into unbelief. But while doubt can destroy faith, it may also build faith. Because doubt is part of being human, and can impact faith, it is important that we look into it. Today, we can only dip our toes into this large and complex issue. I’ll look at what doubt is, what it isn’t, some types of doubt and how to move from doubt to faith.
Defining doubt & unbelief
What is the opposite of faith? It is not doubt. It is unbelief.
Christian > agnostic < atheist
There are Christians, agnostics and atheists. Do you know what the difference is? Here’s a little lesson on words – God is theos in Greek, knowledge is gnosis. If you put an ‘a’ in front, it works as a negative.
- God: Theos a-theist – there is no God
- Knowledge: Gnosis a-gnostic – I don’t know
So an a-theist is one who says there is no God.
But an a-gnostic is one who does not know. He does not know if there is a God.
Both Christians and atheists can both be firm in their faith. The Christian believes there is a God. The atheist believes there is no God. But the agnostic is a true doubter. The agnostic falls between the two – neither believing there is a God, nor believing there is no God. He does not know.
Belief – Doubt - Unbelief
The doubter falls in the gap between belief and unbelief. He is in two minds, or as the Chinese say, has a foot in two boats. We see this in the father who cried out to Jesus,
I believe, help my unbelief! Mark 9:24. He had a foot in two boats.
False ideas on doubt
There are many false assumptions about doubt.
a. “Doubt is the same as unbelief.” This is not true. Unbelief is always condemned in the Bible. The one who says, There is no God is a fool (Ps 14:1). The unbeliever is an idolater and will face God’s wrath. Israel was constantly warned not to abandon God or he would abandon them.
b. “Doubt is always wrong.”
No again. Doubt can be helpful or harmful. Spiritual doubt, left to flourish, may lead to unbelief. So it is important to address this issue. But doubt is not always wrong or harmful.
· Doubt is sometimes simply ignorance. I can’t know everything.
· Young ladies would be well advised to have doubts – especially when amorous boyfriends start making promises!
· Our faith may be built of weak or wrong foundations. Surely it is right to question and doubt such a faith. To correct errors. Some claim to be Christians but they do not even understand or believe in the basics – that all have rejected God, that I need to repent and be forgiven, that Jesus died for their sins. Such unstable faith needs to be questioned and tested.
Should we be soft or hard on doubt?
Liberal Christians are too soft on doubt. Liberals see doubt as a badge of honour. Liberals doubt so much – they doubt God’s word, the miracles, the resurrection, that Jesus is God, God’s judgment – they doubt so many things they end up believing in nothing. And doubt is a sure pathway to unbelief if not addressed.
But some can be too hard on doubt demanding a perfect unquestioning faith. This leads many who doubt with hidden guilt and despair. They read James and feel their weak faith is useless:
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. Jas 1:6-8.
It is a harsh judgment. How should we then approach doubt?
Different doubts need different remedies.
No one size fits all, and this is clear when we look at how Jesus dealt with two doubters. The leper doubted Jesus’ compassion. He said, “Lord if you are willing, you can make me clean” (Matt. 8:2). He doubted not the power of God but the mercy of God. In contrast, the father of the demonized boy doubted the power of God. He said, “if it is possible, have compassion on us” (Mark 9:22).
The leper doubted Christ’s love, and so “Jesus stretched out his hand and touched him.” But the father who doubted Christ’s power was given a lesson in theology. Jesus replied, “If it is possible!…Everything is possible to one who has faith.”
Where are you at? Do you doubt that Jesus loves you? Do you doubt his power to rescue you?
Doubt can come in many forms, for many reasons. I will focus on just three today, and we will look at how to move from doubt to faith in each of them.
1. Intellectual doubt
Most of us have honest questions that puzzle us. How does the Trinity work? How can I have free will under a God who controls the future? Why does God allow children to suffer? We won’t always find answers. Even those with a strong faith may ask questions. Mary had a strong faith and was commended for it, Lk 1:45 (c.f., Lk 1:38, 45, 46-55, 2:19, 51, Jn 2:3-5). Yet, this did not stop her asking the angel, “How can this be, for I am a virgin”, Lk 1:34. She stands in contrast to others who questioned miraculous births. They were condemned not so much for their questions as the lack of faith that lay behind the question (Sarah, Gen 18:9-15; Zechariah, Lk 1:18-20). Honest wrestling with intellectual doubts can lead to a deeper, richer faith. But unresolved doubts can drive out faith. A dear friend had serious doubts about hell and gave up his faith.
Steps: If you have nagging intellectual doubts, then
1. Delve into scripture and read works of sound Christian thinkers.
2. Discuss them with your pastor. If your pastor is not able or willing to have an honest robust discussion on such doubts, find another pastor!
3. The Centre for Public Christianity is devoted to giving thoughtful, honest and biblical answers to questions people are asking (www.publicchristianity.org). They have produced a great documentary, For the Love of God: How the church is better and worse than you ever imagined.
2. Emotional doubt
Doubt can be bound up with trust and fear. A man who had experience of a bad doctor is afraid to trust himself even to a good one, Augustine.
Anyone who has witnessed a nasty church split, anyone who has been abused by church leaders may never enter a church again. There are many who feel betrayed by the church.
The church has a problem – it is called sin. We are a company of sinners. In one way we should not be surprised when gossip and arrogance, manipulation and abuse occur within the church. Church leaders bear a double burden to be true and faithful (Jas 3:1). But sadly, leaders often fall far short. False leaders are condemned in the Bible as wolves in sheep’s clothing, blind guides, hypocrites, murderers and false shepherds (Ezek 34:1-24, Mt 7:15; 23:1-36). I’m sure Jesus had paedophiles in mind when he said of those who lead little ones to sin,
It would be better if he had a millstone fastened around his neck and was drowned in the sea, Mt 18:5-6.
When leaders go astray, Paul was very clear.
Elders who sin should be reprimanded in front of the whole church; this will serve as a strong warning to others, 1 Tim 5:20.
Paul did not hesitate to call out Peter when he sinned, Gal 2:11-14. Let us be thankful for godly men and women who in faith and courage do speak out when leaders go astray.
Some faith scarring can even be at the hands of God himself. You serve him, yet you suffer. Half of the psalms are laments. The psalmist sometimes rages against God for failing to answer his prayers. Not all the psalms have a happy ending – read Psalm 88. It is ok to be angry with God. When you have an angry teenager, it is better to face the outbursts than to have them stew in silence.
To relate is to be vulnerable – any relationship relies on trust, openness, the risk of being hurt. The church should be the place where we can be vulnerable.
If you have been scarred, what can you do? The last thing you want to do is to risk re-opening old wounds. But are you letting the wounds and the wrongs control your life? What I’m about to say may sound easy, trite and simplistic. For I don’t know how you have suffered betrayal and hurt. I haven’t walked in your shoes. But I know we are all called to be his messengers. You cannot be a messenger if you spend your life in a cupboard. You cannot love Christ’s family or your neighbour without risk. Love is not an option for Christians. It is a command – to love God and our neighbour. To love our brothers and sisters - even when it hurts.
Where do emotions fit with faith? A faith without emotion may come across as cold and lifeless. But a faith that is based on emotion is very unstable. Emotions change like the wind, and emotions may overwhelm our reason and our faith. This was the case with Elijah. In the black pit of despair he pleaded with God to take his life. This was surprising – he is one of the greatest of the prophets – and had just won an astounding victory against the 450 false prophets of Baal and the evil king Ahab. But Abab’s wife wanted her revenge and Elijah’s life was in danger. So he ran. He was utterly exhausted, physically and emotionally. He pleaded, “O Lord, take away my life”, 1 Ki 19:4. And God’s response to his doubts? A theological lecture? A rebuke? No, before God had anything to say to him, he ensured Elijah was fed and rested – twice. And then, gently, God revealed Elijah’s error to him.
So what steps can we take to deal with emotional doubt?
· Remember that we can trust God completely, for
God is light, and in him is no darkness at all, 1 Jn 1:5.
· Bring your scars and pains to him. Your anger, your betrayal.
Cast all your cares on him because he cares for you, 1 Pet 5:7_._
· Talk to a Christian you trust. Perhaps to a trained Christian counsellor.
3. Spiritual doubt
Unlike the other two types, spiritual doubts are typically sinful. For these doubts question God’s power or his goodness. This is what the serpent did. He questioned God’s word, Did God really say, Gen 3:1. He mocked God’s promise and his motives,
You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of the fruit your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil, Gen 3:4-5.
Thomas doubted, but not because of lack of evidence. No, he had lots of evidence, but refused to believe. Several times, he heard Jesus predicting his death and resurrection. He had the testimony of the other disciples that they had seen the risen Jesus. Yet he refused to believe. He was rightly reprimanded by Jesus:
“Stop doubting and believe”, Jn 20:27.
The disciples often were rebuked for their lack of faith. Peter with that sinking feeling on the lake,
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt”, Mt 14:31.
The disciples as their boat was sinking,
“Why are you afraid, O you of little faith, Mt 8:26.
They doubted God’s power and his willingness to save them.
Jesus was pastorally gentle – he didn’t lump them in with those Pharisees who had no faith. Rather, he called them, you of little faith. Gentle yes, but he was also firm on the need for faith. In each case, Jesus was expecting – or rather, demanding faith. And these were not easy situations; no, they were very challenging. Peter walking on the water. Fishermen about to drown in a ferocious storm. Thomas seeing the crucified Jesus now fully alive. We could forgive the disciples for doubting God in these extreme situations. But that is the point – our God is Lord over life and death. He is the Creator and Saviour. Nothing is impossible for him. We are expected, even commanded, to believe in God’s power and goodness – even in impossible situations. The saints in Hebrews were commended as they died for their faith. The Libyan Coptic martyrs sang hymns to Jesus as ISIS beheaded them.
Steps
1. Spiritual discipline – if your fitness is a bit wobbly, you may need to diet and set up a regular exercise routine. If your faith is wobbly, then make sure your spiritual disciplines are in order. What do I mean by that?
· Spend time daily in the word and in prayer.
· Do not neglect the habit of meeting together with other Christians.
· Judi has launched a great initiative of people pairing up for a time to pray together. This can be a real boost to your faith. Why not sign up today?
2. And if you are really struggling with doubt, talk to your pastor or a Christian friend about it. There are some good books I can recommend too.
Drifters
People rarely turn from faith to unbelief because of a sudden decision. Usually, they drift away little by little like the moths eating an old jumper until it is useless. Are such people lost forever? No way! James reminds us
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back… whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death … James 5:19-20.
Get help. Feed faith!
If you are doubting, get some help. Someone plagued by doubts is like the person trying to find their way in a fog. They have no landmarks. A watcher on a hill may see they are heading to a cliff. Find a Christian who can help you get back some perspective. Left to yourself, you can become obsessed with or lost in your doubts, and the less you will look to God and trust in him.
Feed your doubts and your faith will starve—but feed your faith, and your doubts will starve, McGrath.
Pray: Dear Lord, you know our hearts far better than we do. You know our doubts, our fears, our pains. Help us to come through our doubts to a richer and robust faith. In your name, Amen.
Sources:
· McGrath, A. E. (1990). Doubt: Handling it honestly. Leicester, England: Inter-Varsity Press.
· Guinness, O. (1996). God in the dark: The assurance of faith beyond a shadow of doubt. Wheaton, Ill: Crossway Books.